Fiber is simply the parts of the plants that don’t get digested. They pass into the large intestine basically intact. I know you wonder, “If they are not digested then how are they good for me?” They do several things and are extremely beneficial. Let’s start with some history. Humans have eaten mostly plant parts[…]
Most of us are familiar with sugar, starch and fiber but not glycogen. The reason for this is, it is not a carbohydrate we eat but it is how our bodies store carbohydrates. When we eat sugar or starch they are digested and absorbed into the blood stream causing our blood sugar levels to rise.[…]
The first and most obvious idea is to not buy sugary items then you don’t have to worry about it. For those of you with that much will power, bless you, you may now stop reading. For the rest of us some strategies will be needed to keep our sweet tooth under control. We are[…]
My research for this series has been eye opening, I knew added sugar was bad for you but I didn’t know how bad. I even left out the studies that lacked serious credibility even though they were very plausible. First let’s look at the different types of sugars. The three different single molecule sugars can[…]
I just covered the fact that sugar can be addictive and that that only became a problem when sugar became affordable and plentiful. In the 1700’s the average person only consumed about 4 pounds of sugar per year in 2005 the average person consumed about 100 pounds per year. 74% of Americans get 10% of[…]
Up until recently humans faced the very real possibility of starvation. We did not have the ability to preserve or transport food to any great extent so the concept of “our daily bread” was very real. Energy sources were often scarce so being able to determine the most potent food sources was an advantage. An[…]
There are basically four types of carbohydrates: sugar, starch, fiber, and glycogen. All carbohydrates except fiber are used to produce energy in your cells. Remember the two reasons for eating are energy and materials to build your body with. Carbohydrates are only used for energy. All carbohydrates are made of molecules of sugar.When carbs are[…]
Food contains a multitude of chemicals. I am going to start with the big three called macronutrients and later I will discuss some of the others. The three macronutrients are Carbohydrates, Protein, and Fats. Each has its own job and is an important part of the diet. However, some of the sensationalized news reports have[…]
The first answer that comes to mind is, because we are hungry; however it is very seldom that simple. The biological answer is, to provide the nutrients for energy and materials for growth and repair. The real answer is more like: boredom, depression, thirst, habit socialization, and pleasure. Eating is strongly tied to our very[…]
One of the most frequent questions I get asked as a Wellness Consultant is, “What should I eat?”. Unfortunately that question is both simple and complex. The best answer is a quote form author Michael Pollan: “Eat food, mostly plants, not too much”. That is great advice but mot very practical in the long[…]